Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Potentially invasive fungal pathogens in forests of Nepal Cover

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Map showing sample collection sites
Map showing sample collection sites

Figure 2.

Distribution of potential invasive fungal pathogens in Nepal
Distribution of potential invasive fungal pathogens in Nepal
A: An infected twig Abies spectabilis with diseased needles showing characteristic symptom; B: Colony of Neonectria neomacrospora cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; C: Conidia of Neonectria neomacrospora.
A: An infected twig Abies spectabilis with diseased needles showing characteristic symptom; B: Colony of Neonectria neomacrospora cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; C: Conidia of Neonectria neomacrospora.
A: An infected leaf showing characteristic symptoms of powdery mildew on Alnus nepalensis; B: Conidia of Golovinomyces cichoracearum.
A: An infected leaf showing characteristic symptoms of powdery mildew on Alnus nepalensis; B: Conidia of Golovinomyces cichoracearum.
A: An infected leaf of Eucalyptus camaldulensis showing characteristic symptoms; B: Colony of Calonectria reteaudii cultured form infected part and reverse view of culture plate; C: Conidia of Calonectria reteaudii.
A: An infected leaf of Eucalyptus camaldulensis showing characteristic symptoms; B: Colony of Calonectria reteaudii cultured form infected part and reverse view of culture plate; C: Conidia of Calonectria reteaudii.
A and B: Upper and lower surface of infected leaves of Acer laevigatum showing characteristic symptom; C: Colony of Aureobasidium apocryptum cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; D: Conidia with conidiophores of Aureobasidium apocryptum.
A and B: Upper and lower surface of infected leaves of Acer laevigatum showing characteristic symptom; C: Colony of Aureobasidium apocryptum cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; D: Conidia with conidiophores of Aureobasidium apocryptum.
A: An infected trunk of Alnus nepalensis showing bleeding symptom; B: Colony of Phytophthora alni cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; C: Zoosporangium.
A: An infected trunk of Alnus nepalensis showing bleeding symptom; B: Colony of Phytophthora alni cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; C: Zoosporangium.
A and B: An infected shoot and needles of Pinus roxburghii; C: Colony of Dothistroma septosporum cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; D: Conidia of Dothistroma septosporum.
A and B: An infected shoot and needles of Pinus roxburghii; C: Colony of Dothistroma septosporum cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; D: Conidia of Dothistroma septosporum.
A: A twig of Rhododendron arboreum with infected leaves showing Characteristic symptom; B: Colony of Calonectria indusiata cultured from infected part in culture plate; C: Conidia and mycelium of Calonectria indusiata.
A: A twig of Rhododendron arboreum with infected leaves showing Characteristic symptom; B: Colony of Calonectria indusiata cultured from infected part in culture plate; C: Conidia and mycelium of Calonectria indusiata.
A: A twig with infected leaves Tectona grandis showing characteristic symptoms; B: Lower surface of leaf showing uredinia; C: Urediniospores of Olivea tectonae.
A: A twig with infected leaves Tectona grandis showing characteristic symptoms; B: Lower surface of leaf showing uredinia; C: Urediniospores of Olivea tectonae.
A: An infected stem of Shorea robusta showing characteristic symptom; B: Colony of Nectria sp cultured from infected part in culture plate; C: Conidia and conidiophore of Nectria sp.
A: An infected stem of Shorea robusta showing characteristic symptom; B: Colony of Nectria sp cultured from infected part in culture plate; C: Conidia and conidiophore of Nectria sp.
A and B: Upper and lower surface of infected leaves of Toona ciliata showing characteristic symptom; C: Colony of Rhytisma acerinum cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; D: Ascomata; E: Conidia with conidiophores of Rhytisma acerinum.
A and B: Upper and lower surface of infected leaves of Toona ciliata showing characteristic symptom; C: Colony of Rhytisma acerinum cultured from infected part and reverse view of culture plate; D: Ascomata; E: Conidia with conidiophores of Rhytisma acerinum.

Details of sample collection sites in Nepal

S. No.Name of host plantDiseased partsLocationElevation (m)ForestMunicipality and district
1Abies spectabilisneedles27.422°N 87.763°E3413Mayam Patal CFPhungling Municipality, Taplejung
2Acer laevigatumleaves27.365°N 87.727°E2642Deurali-Bhitri CF
3Rhododendron arboretumleaves27.427°N 87.766°E364Mayam Patal CF
4Alnus nepalensisleaves28.293°N 84.369°E901Tatopani CFMarsyangdi RM, Lamjung
5Alnus nepalensistrunk29.336°N 80.606°E1639Ugratara CFAjaymeru RM, Dadheldhura
6Eucalyptus camaldulensisleaves28.095°N 80.199°E561Eucalyptus PFDangisharan RM, Dang
7Pinus roxburghiineedles29.698°N 80.544°E1416Shalya Shikhar CFShailyashikhar Municipality, Darchula
8Shorea robustastem27.622°N 84.056°E197Sal SFMadhyabindu Municipality, Nawalpur
9Tectona grandisleaves28.095°N 82.199°E561Teak PFDangisharan RM, Dang
10Toona ciliataleaves27.989°N 84.268°E487Gairigau CFVyas Municipality, Tanahun

Host plants, disease name, pathogens, symptomatology and identifying characters

S. No.Host plantDiseasePathogen identifiedSymptomatologyIdentifying characters
colony colourvegetative and reproductive characters
1.Abies spectabilisneedle castNeonectria neomacrosporainfected needles were light brown to dark brown; young needles were uninfectedwhitehyphae: septate; microconidia: size 10.3–13.6 × 3.7 µm, multicellular, cylindrical or elongated, slightly curved and up to 93.11 µm
2.Acer laevigatumleaf anthracnoseAureobasidium apocryptumlight brown spots and large necrotic patches on leaves, some of the leaves were entirely covered by necrotic patchesgreyish whitehyphae: septate; small acervuli erupted through the epidermis of leaf; conidia: size 6.5–10.5 × 3–4.5 µm, hyaline, non-septate borne on short, broad conidiophores
3.Alnus nepalensispowdery mildewGolovinomyces cichoracearumwhite powdery spores on leaves, chlorosis and premature droppingwhitehyphae: hyaline and smooth (3.5–6.8 μm wide); conidia: hyaline, cylindrical or ellipsoidal, size 28.7–18.7 µm, developed at the apex of conidiophores
4.Alnus nepalensisbleeding cankerPhytophthora alni subsp. alnithe infected trunk was oozing reddish brown fluid from cracks, dieback symptom was also reportedlight brown, white at maturityhyphae: aseptate; sporangiophores: slender, unbranched; zoosporangia: size 35–65 × 24–50 µm, ovoid or pear shape
5.Eucalyptus camaldulensisleaf blightCalonectria reteaudiigrey water-soaked spots, necrotic patches, some leaves were defoliatedlight greyhyphae: septate; conidia: size 65–85 × 5–6 µm, straight or cylindrical, round at both ends
6.Pinus roxburghiipinus needle castDothistroma septosporumyellowish-tan spots on needles, reddish brown bands around the needle, premature death and drop of infected needleswhite with abundant aerial hyphaeConidiophores: numerous, hyaline; conidia: septate, hyaline, straight or slightly curved, size 16.4–23.6 × 3 µm
7.Rhododendron arboreumleaf spotCalonectria indusiatadark brown spots on leaves, somewhere the spots covered whole leaves, premature defoliationwhite with abundant aerial hyphae.hyphae: septate; conidiophores: penicillate, two to six phialides; conidia: size 60–70 × 4–6 μm, straight or cylindrical, round at both ends, septate
8.Shorea robustastem cankerNectria sp.oval to elongated, brown to reddish lesions on the bark of trunk and branches, oozing sap with foul smellcottony with white with aerial hyphaeHyphae: septate; conidiophores: verticillate, one to three branched; conidia: ellipsoidal to cylindrical or slightly curved, hyaline, smooth, rounded at both ends
9.Tectona grandisleaf rustOlivea tectonaesmall, angular, brown to grey necrotic areas on upper leaf surface, necrosis due to coalesced lesions, powdery yellowish rustsnot culturedUredospores: powdery, orange coloured, ovoid and echinulated, size 18–23 × 17.5–24.8 μm
10.Toona ciliatatar spotRhytisma acerinumsmall, superficial black tar-like spotsgreyish brownascomata: 40–120 μm wide with asci and paraphyses; ascospores: ellipsoidal, blunt at both ends, size 40–70 × 9–10 μm
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ffp-2025-0017 | Journal eISSN: 2199-5907 | Journal ISSN: 0071-6677
Language: English
Page range: 220 - 230
Submitted on: Nov 21, 2023
Accepted on: Mar 14, 2025
Published on: Sep 14, 2025
Published by: Forest Research Institute
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2025 Sanjay Kumar Jha, Hari Sharan Adhikari, Lal Bahadur Thapa, Sunita Ulak, Dhirendra Kumar Pradhan, Yam Prasad Pokharel, Shambhu Kumar, published by Forest Research Institute
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.